Corn-popper.



PATENTED' SEPT. 11, 1906.

C. STEVENS. CORN POPPER.

APPLIOA 0N PIL'ED AUG. 26, 1903.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

rs: mmms PETERS c0. WASHINGTON. u. c.

PATENTED SEPTLll, 1906. U. STEVENS.

CORN POPPER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE non/us PETERS cn., wasumnrou, D c.

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS STEVENS, OF WAIERTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BARTHOLOMEWV COMPANY, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS.

CORN-POPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OYRUs STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVatertown, in the county of J elferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OornPoppers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved device for popping corn, the object being to provide a popper which can be readily manipulated, shall be simple in construction, and by which a superior product can be ob tained, the parts being so constructed and related that the corn which is popped can be immediately and quickly withdrawn from the region of high heat and delivered to the exterior of the popper.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portable mechanism having a popper containing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the popper detached. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is an end elevation from the handle end. Fig. 6 is a series of diagrams illustrating the steps followed in using the popper.

In the drawings I have shown the popper as being arranged in connection with a supporting-frame, also to be used as the frame of a case for containing and displaying the corn after it has been popped. This case is indicated by A, it having closed windows or sides a a. At the rear or side it can be opened by means of a door, as shown at B.

C is a hanger or swinging support. It can be made of wire or metal rods hinged to gether.

D indicates the popper, which is formed with two circular heads (1 d, which can be spaced and braced in a suitable way. As shown, they are braced by means of bars or bent sheets of metal E, the wire-mesh to be described also serving to brace and space these heads. The mesh is indicated by F, it being preferably formed in halves or sectionsff. The mesh-wires are at their edges securely fastened between the bent-over edges of the bars or sheet-metal strips E. These wire-mesh sections f f are of such width as to not entirely encircle the heads, but leave an opening at G to the interior of the cylinder. The heads d (l are reinforced by external casing heads H, which are also circular and respectively secured to the inner heads at a suitable number of points by rivets or bolts, as shown at g g.

I represents the screen plate or partition. It is placed across the center of the poppingdrum, lyin normally nearly in the plane of the axis. .[t is hinged on an axis near the periphery of the drum. As shown, the hinge can be provided by wire loops, though other forms of pivoting or hinging devices can be employed. This screen can swing from one edge of the opening G to the other, there being suitable stops to limit it. Preferably the stops are provided by the bars or bent sheetmetal strips E adjacent to the opening. The mesh-apertures in this screen-plate I are considerably larger than those in the peripheral mesh f f, the latter being sufficiently small to prevent the passage t'herethrough of the kernels of the unpopped corn and the former being large enough to permit the unpopped corn to pass through, but small enough to catch the popped corn.

J J indicate two trunnions or pivots respectively secured to and extending outward from the heads H of the drum. The one at J is sufficiently long to have attached thereto a handle K. The attachment is preferably accomplished by seating a nut 7c in the handle and threading the end of the pivot or pintle J.

L is a bail freely pivoted to the pins or pintles J J, the eyes Z engaging with the pins. At L this bail is adapted to be detachably connected to a hook c on the suspending de vice above referred to. The cylinder can be freely rotated to a limited extent when thus suspended. In order to limit the rotation, stops M are provided on one or both of the cylinder-heads which are adapted to engage with the leg Z of the bail.

The manner of using the popping device which I have described will be readily understood. The desired amount of unpopped corn is introduced to the interior of the cylinder through the opening at G, and it is then suspended in the way set forth by engaging the eye at L with the hook at c. A flame is provided by means of the gasolene or other burner at N within the interior of the case A. During the popping the cylinder is shaken back and forth at will by the operator grasping the handle K. As soon as the popping commences the popped kernels are picked up from the bottom of the-peripheral part of the cylinder upon which they rest by giving it a partial rotation on its axis, which brings the screen-plate I around in such way that its plane is caused to move across the corn mass. As it does so the unpopped kernels readily slip through the large-mesh apertures and fall again upon the other part of the outer cylindrical mesh, while the popped kernels being now greatly enlarged are prevented from falling through the screen and rest upon it as it approaches a horizontal plane. It is carried somewhat beyond the horizontal, and as its outer swinging edge reaches the stop, such as the cross-bar E, the popped kernels are allowed to roll off and escape through the opening G to the outside of the cylinder.

This series of steps is illustrated by the row of diagrams at the left in Fig. 7. In a moment or two a suflicient number of the previously unpopped kernels will have burst open and the operator by rocking the cylinder backward in the reverse direction over the same path will repeat the action of picking up the previously-popped corn and allowing the unpopped to fall through again, the swinging edge of the screen now dropping across and striking the opposite stop and allowing the charge of popped kernels to escape. This latter series of steps is illustrated by the row of diagrams at the right in Fig. 7.

With a device of this sort I prevent the exposure of the parched, or popped kernels to the action of the flame which, as is well known, rapidly deteriorates" the corn and at the same time subjects the unpopped kernels to a practically continuous heating at the periphery of the cylinder.

1. A corn-popper having an external popping-cylinder with an escape-opening for the popped corn, and a picking-up screen extending entirely across the cylinder transversely to separate the cylinder into two chambers, non communicating except through the screen, and movable across said escape-opening to put one and then the other of the chambers in communication therewith, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a popping-cylinder having an escape-aperture in the side thereof, of a picking-up screen hinged to the cylinder and adapted to move from one side of the escape-aperture to the other, substantially as set forth.

3. A corn-popper having a popping-cylinder with an escape-opening through its walls and a picking-up screen for the popped corn arranged within said cylinder to divide it into two chambers and pivotally mounted in position and having its free edge movable across said escape-opening to put one and then the other of said chambers in communication therewith.

4. In a corn-popper, the combination of a popping-cylinder having a longitudinal escape-opening mounted so as to be free to turn on its axis, means for limiting the extent to which the cylinder may be rotated, a picking-up screen of relatively large mesh dividing the cylinder into two chambers, the screen being movable relative to the escapeopening and arranged to close one chamber from the escape-opening and to put the other into communication therewith when the cylinder is turned in one position, and to put the first chamber into communication with the opening and cut off the other one therefrom when the cylinder is turned into another position, substantially as set forth.

5. In a corn-popper, a supporting device, a cylinder carried thereby and adapted to reciprocate around an axis, and having a picking-up screen extending entirely across the popping-chamber both longitudinally. and transversely, arranged to move within said cylinder relatively to the walls thereof and adapted to permit the unpopped corn to pass therethrough and toguide the popped corn to the exterior of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

' 6. A corn-popper having an external popping-cylinder with an escape for the popped corn, a picking-up screen arranged to divide the said cylinder into two chambers, said screen having one edge arranged to direct the popped corn through said escape-orifice from either .side of said screen.

7. A popcorn-popper having an external popping-cylinder with a discharge-opening for the popped corn, and a picking-up screen arranged to divide said cylinder into two compartments, said screen having one of its edges arranged to direct the popped corn through said discharge-opening during the rotation of said cylinder in either direction.

8. A popcorn-popper having an external popping-cylinder with a discharge-opening for the popped corn, and a picking-up screen arranged to divide the said cylinder into two compartments, said screen having one of its edges automatically movable relatively to the said discharge-opening to deliver the popped corn therethrough from either of said compartments.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS STEVENS. Witnesses:

VVM. FENN, G. M. DUNHAM. 

